India has launched a major exercise to build disaster-resilient infrastructure as issues of climate change become real, and unforeseen events bring new challenges. The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), a partnership of governments, United Nations agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and the private sector, is working on ways to design infrastructure for future risks, Kamal Kishor, Member Secretary, National Disaster Management Authority, India, said in an interview. It is also working on the resilience of the power sector in cyclone prone areas and making new hydrogen and telecom infrastructure, especially telecom towers, resilient to disasters. Kishor, Executive Co-Chairman, CDRI, also spoke about how technology is helping to build the 2030 Agenda for Resilient Infrastructure and Sustainable Development. Edited excerpt:
Climate change concerns are re-imagining our future. How is infrastructure development changing with this change?
Infrastructure systems and infrastructure development are changing in three fundamental ways. First, we need to design our infrastructure for future risks, not past risks. Second, we have to look at the flexibility of the new infrastructure, which can be low or zero carbon. Lastly, we have to look at infrastructure in an integrated manner across all sectors as there are inter-dependencies between them.
The impact of climate change we are witnessing is unprecedented. How do we make our infrastructure and systems resilient to changes we are unaware of?
The first strategy is the already observed effects of climate. A few things are clear, which means that the way we assess the risks of disasters, we need to constantly update our risk assessments. The second is that there are many things that can be done that are without regret a solution, such as a better and more efficient way of cleaning rainwater drains to prevent urban flooding and pre-monsoon cleaning. setting up the system. Third, we have to diversify our investments and diversify our risks. Wherever possible, we should look at nature based solutions and infrastructure as an integrated system.
We are advancing technologically every day. How can we leverage technology to build disaster resilient infrastructure?
Technology is advancing at an alarming pace. Sometimes I feel that our practices are lagging behind. For example, older bridges that cannot be upgraded can be fitted with sensors that will help determine how the structure is behaving when loads are increased. You can get early warning in time. You can actually monitor the functioning of infrastructure systems in real time. Sensor-based technologies are advancing very quickly indeed. Networks, computing and all that is growing very fast. You can use them in floods and mountains. We can use drones for mapping areas after a disaster, to give information to people.
How do we stay focused on achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development?
Eleven out of 17 goals cannot be achieved without good infrastructure. I think infrastructure is at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals. Only one goal clearly talks about it, but the other also cannot be achieved if we do not have good and resilient infrastructure. Infrastructure planning in India is done in a coordinated manner through the National Infrastructure Pipeline. Lastly, how to make infra green or low carbon. There are many good examples of standards upgradation in the country. The Dedicated Freight Corridor is a classic example of a low carbon climate solution architecture. The country is actually adopting best practices from the world to work in this direction.
What role will human-centered design play in further building and building better?
When we have a human-centered design, we put people at the center. The entire focus is on meeting the needs and demands expressed by the people themselves. So the focus is not on wealth, but on improving lives and livelihoods. As such, there is a lot of result orientation.
What projects is CDRI working on?
There is a project on the resilience of the electric field in cyclone prone areas. Another looks at the flexibility of airports around the world and includes over 150 airports. There is a project that is looking at how we make new hydrogen infrastructure safe from disasters. There is a project that is looking at how we make telecom infrastructure, especially telecom towers, resilient to disasters. Many of these are regional initiatives. In addition, there are several cross-sector initiatives, including a global risk assessment and a fellowship program for CDRI member-country researchers.